Method of making brief cases



Dec. 6, 1927.

v FREY METHOD 'OF MAKING BRIEF CASES Filed July 12. 1920 28 A 33n 4H1 Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

UNITED- STATES rArENr OFFICE.

EDWARD JZ GODFREY, OF NAUGATUGK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE GOODYEAR/s METALLIC BUIBIBER SHOE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT mention on nmxme BRIEF oases.

Application filed. July '12,

This invention relates to a'method of making brief cases, and more particularly to a v case made of built-up plies of vulcanizable material. Brief cases made of good quality leather, owing to the high price of the material, have reached a rice which is almost prohibitive. Cases ma e of a cheaper grade of leather are lacking in the durability, strength, and appearance of the higher priced article. At-

tempts have also been made to make such cases of imitation or substitute leather, but these articles are also lackingin durability and appearance. Moreover, owing to the high price of good quality thread, a cheaper grade is frequently used in sewing the brief cases, and as a consequence they readily come apart at the seams where subjected to abrasion, necessitating frequent repair. In fact, abrasion causes this trouble even where a good quality of thread has been 'used. In addition, all such cases, whether made of leather or an imitation, are not waterproof. An object of my invention is to provide a light, strong, durable and inexpensive brief case of good appearance.

Another object is to provide a seamless and waterproof brief case.

Still another object is to provide a brief case ofvulcanizable material, the parts of which are integrally united by vulcanization,

A further object is to provide a simple and rapid method of makingthe brief cases. For a full and complete disclosure of the invention reference is had to the accompanying specification and drawings, in which latter,

Fig. 1' is a diagrammatic section through the brief case from front to rear, illustrating the manner in which it is built up on forms;

Fig. 2is a. broken away perspective illustrating one of the forms at an initial stage in the method; t

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section broken apart illustrating the front wall constructron;

Fig. 5 is partition construction; Fig. 6 is a broken view showing the side wall in section, and

Fig.7 -'s a front view of the completed brief case.

a similar section illustrating the 1920. sci-m1 no. 895,651.

Referringto the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 are applied to different forms used in building up the brief cases. For a case of given length and width the forms 1 are all of the same size, while the form 2 is of the same width and thickness as forms 1, but is of greater length. In building up the case-one or more of the forms 1 are used, depending on the numberof compartments desired in the finished case, while-but one of the forms 2 is used, the latter being the form around which the rear compartment and flap of the case are constructed. A strip 3 of frictioned lining material is stretched around the bottom and side edges of each form 1 and temporarily tacked down as shown at 4, and a similar strip 3 of about the same length is stretched across the bottom of a form 2 and art way up the side thereof and temporari y secured by tacks 5, the frictioned surface of the strip being turned outward in each case. -The required number of partitions is next made up, each.

partition bein formed of a sheet of stiff paper 6 of Sn stantially the same area as the form 1, a sheet 7 of'the frictioned lining material being cemented to the opposite sides of the paper sheet 6 with the fabric side 8 turned out and the frictioned side 9 next to the paper as shown in Fig. 5. The side and bottom edges of the sheets 7 project beyond the paper for a purpose to be presently explained. The required number of forms 1 are then superposed on a single one of the forms 2 as shown in Fig. 1 with a partition interposed between each of the forms. A reinforced front wall lining is placed on the exposed wall of the end form 1, said lining comprising a sheet of paper 6 having cemented to one side only thereof a sheet 7 of the frictioned lining material. Ther'ear wall lining of the case, which is also to form the lining of the flap, is formed in a similar manner to the front wall lining by superposing on the exposed surface of the form 2 a sheet of paper 11 having cemented to one side thereof a sheet 12 of the frictioned lining material. The bottom and side ed esof the lining material of the front wall project slightly beyond the paper as in the case of the partitions, and the bottom' edge, of the lining sheet 12 and its side edges up to the top of the forms 1 also project the bottom. and side walls of the assembled forms. This sheet is of slightly greater width than the thickness of the assembled 7 forms. and is of a length sufficient to ex- 'tend across the bottom wall and up the side walls to a point slightly above the tops of the forms 1. This material is formed of twill or other suitable fabric 14, coated on the inside with rubber 15 and on the outside with a wear resisting'rubber composition 16 (see Figs. 4 to 6), and may be suitably embossed to simulate any desired the rubber composition 16 are'toughness, resistance to abraslon, and good aging, and

in the making of the bags a composltion,

having the desired qualities may be readily mixed in a manner well known to those e'xpert in the art, the precise ingredients of the composition 16 forming no part of the invention. The sheet 13 is cemented prior to its application to the forms and after on the strips 3-and edges 10 and its projecting slde and bottom edge portion 17 turned over and cemented against the respective The front wall sheet 18 of wear resisting material is next applied, this sheet first having had the lower portion 19 of the lock members riveted thereto through an inner reinforcement 20, the reinforcement being covered b a strip of friction stock 21, as shown in "the stock is of somewhat greater area than edges 22 are in line with the turned over.

the form 1 and prior tothe a plication of said sheet its side andbottom e ges are doubled'under at 22 so that when the sheet is cemented to the paper 6 said doubled under edges 17 and are cemented thereto. The

rear wall 23 of wear resisting material is next cemented to the paper sheet 11 in a manner similar to the front wall. This sheet is provided witha projecting portion 24 at its bottom and around its sides to aheight equal to that of the form 1, and this proectmegi portlon is doubled under and ce-" ment to the turnedover portion 17 when the sheet 23 'is cemented to the paper 11.-

upper portion, whichhisgto form. the flap, is provided with a handle 25 riveted through the sheet to, an inner reinforcement plate I 26,'wh1ch latter is covered with a strip of frlction stock 27. Corner reinforcements 28 of high grade gum stock are next cemented on as shown in ig, I. [he tacks 4. and

grain. Desirable wear resisting qualities in,

stretching around the same is rolled down.

front and back wall paper sheets 6 and 11.

ig..1. The sheet 18 as cut from 5 are then withdrawn and the forms 1 and 2 removed. Binding strips 29 of the wear resisting material are next applied to the top edge of the front wallrand partitions and alsoto the top and side edges of the flap portion of the rear wall, as shown in Figs.

4 to 7. The portions of the side wall 13 pro jecting above the partitions are next slit opposite each partition and each pro ec t1ng portion 30 and underlying end of strip 3 turned in between adjacent partitions and cemented and rolled down as shown in Fig.

6. The upper lock portions 31 are next riv eted to the edges of the flap, which completes the building operation and the brief cases are then ready to be varnished and cured. The forms are next removed and the brief case is placed in a suitable mold and cured. In place of the spaced locks as shown in Fig. 7 a central lock and side straps may be substituted, the straps in this case being secured to the rear wall and extending up over the flap, and the buckles being secured to the front of thewall in'the usual manner. If desired, a heavier grade lining may be used and the paper reinforcements om tted, or the upper edges only of the partitlons ma be relnforced.

arious other changes may be made, which will readily be suggested to one skilled in the art by the present disclosure,

without departing from the scope of the ble lining material, superposing a plurality of the covered forms, covering the lining material on the edges of the forms with an outer ply of wear resisting vulcanizable material, covering the lining' niaterial on the exterior walls of the end forms with outer plies of the wear resisting material with drawingthe forms, and vulcanizing t e case into. an integrally united article.

'2.' A,. method of making'briefcases which comprises, covering a the bottom and side edges of a plurality t fof forms with a vulcanizable lining material, superposing the forms with sheets of vulcanizable lining ma.-

Prior to the application of the sheet 23 its' i-terialinterposed between them, coverin the outside walls of the end forms with s eets of the lining material, joiningall of said sheets to the edge covering material, apply]- mg a sheet of wear resisting vulcanizable Y material to the edge covering materiaL'applying sheets'of the wear resisting material to said second named sheets,- removing the forms, and vulcanizing into an integral whole. 7

3. A method of makin brief cases which comprises covering thee ges of fiat rectangular forms with strips of vulcanizable material, superposing a plurality of said forms with double plies of vulcanizable material between their adjacent surfaces and single plies on the end surfaces, one end form being of greater length, lapplng over said plies on adjacent strips, covering all of said strips with an edge sheet of wear resisting vulcanizable material, covering the end single plies with wear resisting material, removing the forms, and vulcanizing the article.

4. A method of making brief cases which comprises building up connected inner partitions and end walls of vulcanizable material, one of said end walls being of greater length to form a flap, providing the flap with a handle and the flap and other end wall with complementary securing means,

and vulcanizing the parts into an integrally.

united article.

5. .A method of makingbrief cases which comprises building up on forms a plurality of spaced plies of vulcanizable material, the outer ply at one end projecting beyond the others to form a flap, joining the spacer! side and bottom edges of the plies by edge strips covering said edge strips with a sheet 0 wear resisting vulcaniZ'able material, covering the outer sides of the end plies with end sheets of the wear resisting material and lapping them over the edges of the first sheet, attaching coacting securing means to the end sheets and a handle to the projecting flap portion of one end she it, removing the forms, and vulcanizing the parts into a seamless, waterproof article.

Signed at Naugatuck this 7th day of July, 1920.

EDWARD J. GODFREY. 

